Hair DNA Testing – Is it Britney’s?

Ever since Britney Spears shaved her head, the internet has gone slightly barmy with websites being set up to sell the locks online. Of course, only DNA testing would reveal whether the hair is really Britney’s or not. But the idea that people could place value in celebrity hair reveals a lot about how enthralled society is to fame and celebrity.

DNA Testing – Is Britney’s Hair Real?

DNA testing can be used to confirm whether the hair is real, but DNA hair testing can be an expensive procedure. Dozens of auctions have gone online with offers also posted on the auction site eBay for the hair, all claiming to be genuine – which would mean Britney had a heck of a lot of hair. Of course, the majority are scams as there was only so much hair that could have been salvaged from Esther Tognozzi’s salon in LA where the pop star shaved off her hair in a moment of madness.

Hair DNA Testing On $1 Million Hair

One news channel in America reported that one of the sellers online offered DNA testing on the hair they were selling – but the buyer must pay for the hair DNA test. Amazingly one seller had received several bids, one of which topped the $1million mark. Even the alleged clippers she used are on sale. One website dedicated to selling her hair declared: “This is it, the opportunity of a lifetime. You can be the proud owner of Britney Spears’ hair…”

Celebrity DNA

The idea that celebrity hair could be so valuable may seem bizarre, but fans of celebrities through the decades have gone to extreme lengths to see, touch or grab something of their favourite celebrity. DNA analysis can confirm a person’s genetic make-up, reveal their ancestry or be used to test for parenthood in paternity tests. But the notion that a bit of celebrity hair could unlock the secrets of celebrity seems to have bewitched many of Britney’s fans. One of the Britney websites flogging her locks said: “Britney’s DNA could be priceless – if you want a messed up crazed kid that can dance and sing.”

DNA Testing Illegal in UK

But if you are one of those scammers hoping to make a fast buck from celebrity DNA, it is in fact illegal in the UK to take a sample of someone’s DNA for DNA testing or analysis without their explicit consent. The Human Tissues Act has been designed to regulate the use of human body parts, organs or tissue. Everyone from those trying to make money from celebrity DNA to medical scientists working on diseased tissues must have consent to sample a person’s DNA for analysis or DNA testing.